Betrayal Weekly – “Heather”

Podcast: Betrayal Weekly
Host: Andrea Gunning
Date: December 11, 2025
Episode Title: Heather

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode, host Andrea Gunning shares the harrowing story of Heather Rovette, a vibrant Toronto real estate broker whose life and trust are shattered by a romance scammer. Heather offers a raw, detailed account of falling for “Jace Peretti”—a charming handyman with a tragic past—only to discover after years together that he is, in fact, a career con artist named Jason Porter. The episode delves deeply into themes of betrayal, emotional abuse, resilience, and the challenges of seeking justice for complex, ongoing cons. Heather’s story is not just about personal loss, but about the broader issue of romance scams and their aftermath.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Heather’s Background and Early Life ([03:18]–[06:23])

• Family & Upbringing:
  • “I have an older brother and a younger sister. We were all very close in age.” ([03:33] – Heather)
  • Grew up in a loving, supportive Toronto household with successful professional parents—a child psychologist/neuroscientist mother and labor lawyer father.
• Career Success:
  • Built her own thriving real estate career; described herself as tenacious, energetic, and independent.
  • “I became a real estate salesperson and then two years later, I upgraded to broker.” ([04:45] – Heather)
• Early Financial Betrayal:
  • Was scammed by her financial advisor, resulting in a $127,000 loss.
  • “Even though he was found guilty and ordered to pay restitution, I never saw a penny.” ([05:29] – Heather)
• This early breach of trust foreshadows events to come.

Meet Cute: The Beginning of the Relationship ([06:32]–[13:56])

• Unexpected Meeting:
  • Contacts a handyman to fix kitchen cabinets; meets “Jace,” who charms and quickly bonds with her.
  • “I was greeted by this very ruggedly cute guy… I found myself a little tongue tied and was like, oh, wow, sure, come on in.” ([07:00] – Heather)
• Flirty Banter:
  • A “hostage” screwdriver leads to two weeks of playful texting—a period Heather fondly recalls as exciting and full of chemistry.
  • “Every time I got a text from him, it was like a bing, like an endorphin hit.” ([10:09] – Heather)
• Dating & Falling in Love:
  • Jace is presented as a divorced dad, carpenter, ex-software engineer. He’s attentive, romantic, and thoughtful.
  • “He showed up on a motorcycle, which I thought was really sexy… It was a kiss I’ve never experienced before.” ([11:13]–[12:23] – Heather)
• Integration with Family/Friends:
  • Quickly says “I love you,” meets Heather’s family, and becomes a beloved presence.
  • “Life was pretty electric… Even the simple activities like going grocery shopping became fun because I wasn’t doing it alone anymore…” ([14:34] – Heather)

The Perfect Life, With a Shadow ([19:02]–[27:59])

• Building a Future:
  • Plans a romantic trip to Italy; buys a home together outside Toronto during COVID lockdown; dreams of backyard weddings and a shared life.
  • “That winter, we had fires almost every day. I loved that house.” ([23:59] – Heather)
• Custody Drama:
  • Jace repeatedly explains the delays in meeting his son are due to a bitter custody battle and strict court restrictions.
  • Heather makes elaborate preparations for the child, turning a room into a little boy’s space.
• Financial Dependence:
  • Jace never seems to have money, despite working at Oracle.
  • “How can this be? Like, you’re getting Oracle paychecks… he just never seemed to have money.” ([25:19] – Heather)
• Signs of Trouble:
  • Increasing tension: Jace becomes emotionally distant, stays away from home, and picks fights.
  • “August 2021 was such a brutal month because he just stopped coming home. He was claiming he was sleeping in the car…” ([28:05] – Heather)

The Discovery: Lies Unravelled ([29:25]–[37:13])

• Heather’s Investigation:
  • Accidentally logs in to Jace’s email and finds him active on multiple dating apps, exposing numerous simultaneous affairs.
  • “Instead it’s bumble, match, badoo, zoo… Like he’s on every dating app. I’m like, what?” ([29:54] – Heather)
• Theft & Deeper Deceit:
  • Discovers emails confirming the sale of her mother’s stolen jewelry on Kijiji.
  • “It was a Kijiji ad for Tiffany bracelet, Tiffany ring… I’m like, oh my God, what the fuck? That’s my mom’s stuff.” ([30:37] – Heather)
• True Identity:
  • Finds court documents with a different name: Jason Porter, not “Jace Peretti.”
  • “My stomach went up in my throat… Back in 2012, Jayce pled guilty to multiple fraud charges and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.” ([37:45]–[38:27])

Immediate Fallout and Confrontation ([39:18]–[49:16])

• Triumph of Logic Over Emotion:
  • Heather gathers as much evidence as possible through screenshots before she’s locked out.
• Police Involvement:
  • Cops are largely unhelpful: “Can I get a restraining order? …They basically laughed at me… He is your co-tenant and he has rights according to the lease.” ([41:37] – Heather)
• Confrontation & Gaslighting:
  • Jace confronts Heather, remains largely unfazed, and behaves as if nothing is wrong: “He’s in the kitchen, going to the coffee machine to make himself an espresso… and shrugs…” ([45:35] – Heather)
• The Escape:
  • Heather and her friend Kristen secure evidence, lock the house, and eventually depart for safety.
• Aftermath:
  • Jace moves out, steals more items, and quickly moves in with another girlfriend, giving her Heather’s things.

The Scope of the Scam ([50:12]–[54:13])

• The Final Heartbreak:
  • Finds under the bed all of Jace’s court papers, showing the custody battle was a complete fabrication, as were birthday and Christmas cards given “for his son.”
  • “There was no lawyer. There was no nothing. It was all a lie.” ([51:10] – Heather)
• Scale of Theft:
  • Heather’s total loss, when calculated, is over $50,000 in value—through direct theft, fraudulently obtained possessions, and credit card use.
• Pattern of Victimization:
  • Heather connects with other female victims, realizing the MO is always the same: “The story being out in the open allowed them to come together.” ([53:01] – Andrea)

Legal Proceedings and Systemic Failure ([54:13]–[56:53])

• Obstruction & Further Crimes:
  • Court adjourned due to anonymous flyers at the courthouse accusing Jace, which listed Heather's contact info, implicating her in jury tampering.
  • “Jace was eventually arrested for obstruction of justice, jury tampering… these are very serious allegations.” ([55:40] – Heather)
• Sentencing:
  • Jace pleads guilty to theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property over $5,000 in January 2025.
  • The judge gives him two years less one day, more than even prosecutors asked.
  • “It wasn’t just a robbery and theft. It was calculated, done over a length of time. There was the intimacy and bringing him into my family. He really betrayed our trust.” ([56:27] – Heather)

Healing, Community, and Activism ([56:53]–[59:06])

• Therapy and Self-Repair:
  • Heather describes intensive therapy, EMDR, meditation, and yoga as essential to her recovery.
  • “Sharing my story gave me back my story. It gave me control, confidence, the power back.” ([57:19] – Heather)
• Advocacy:
  • She has become a prominent voice for criminalizing romance scams and supporting victims.
  • “And after all of this, it’s still not a crime what he did to me… I just wish the system would recognize the emotional abuse, especially if it’s from a known felon.” ([57:36] – Heather)
• Advice to Listeners:
  • “My story is not unique. There is a Jason in every town, city, park, province, country around the world. One in 25 people are a sociopath, psychopath, narcissist, whatever… Listen to those little nudges.” ([57:58] – Heather)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Realizing the Scale of Deception:

  “It’s not like he was cheating on me, because I don’t think you can call it cheating when what you do is prey on women… when you are a hunter on these dating apps trying to find more victims.”
  – Heather [39:02]

• On Gaslighting:

  “You’re still gaslighting me. You’re still trying to turn this around and make it like it’s my fault.”
  – Heather [49:18]

• On Connecting with Other Victims:

  “All the women I’ve connected with, they’re lovely… every now and then, one of them will call and they’ll be like, I was thinking about you.”
  – Heather [53:20]

• On the Need for Systemic Change:

  “After all of this, it’s still not a crime, what he did to me… I do hope that times change…”
  – Heather [57:36]

• Advice to Listeners:

  “Those little nudges of not feeling right, it’s easy to ignore them. But I do think that’s your deepest intuition… and it’s the soft whisper, but I think we have to listen to that.”
  – Heather [57:58]

• On the Power of Telling Her Story:

  “When you tell your story, you’re taking ownership of it, and that is so empowering.”
  – Heather [59:06]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Heather’s Background & Family: [03:18] – [06:23]
• Meeting Jace & the Whirlwind Romance: [06:32] – [14:34]
• Building a Life Together, Early Red Flags: [19:02] – [28:05]
• The Discovery (Multiple Affairs & Theft): [29:25] – [37:13]
• Uncovering Jace’s True Identity: [37:25] – [39:18]
• Emotional Fallout & Police Involvement: [41:37] – [49:16]
• Aftermath, More Discoveries, Community with Other Victims: [50:12] – [53:20]
• Legal Proceedings & Sentencing: [54:13] – [56:53]
• Healing, Advocacy, Final Reflections: [56:58] – [59:37]

Tone and Language

The episode is candid, raw, and empathetic—deeply respectful of victims while unflinching in describing the manipulations of serial con artists. Heather’s voice is both vulnerable and resilient, a mix of heartbreak, caution, and hope. The host, Andrea, is supportive and compassionate, guiding listeners through complex emotions and hard realities.

Conclusion

This episode of Betrayal Weekly spotlights not only the devastating personal cost of romance scams but also the power of reclaiming one’s narrative. Heather’s journey from victim to advocate is inspiring, shining a light on the urgent need to recognize emotional and psychological abuses as grave as financial ones. The episode closes with Heather’s call to trust one’s intuition, connect with others, and never be ashamed to seek help—or to tell your story.

Featured Resource:
Heather’s documentary: Rom. Com. Who the F is Jason Porter? – Available on Amazon Prime.

If you or someone you know has been affected by a similar betrayal, reach out to the Betrayal Podcast team or connect with others through their Substack community.